Call me old fashioned

I have been sick in bed for the last couple of days.  Being sick when you're a grown up isn't nearly as fun as it was as a kid.  First of all, grown ups have responsibilities.  The children have to be taken care of.  I can't just let the dog lick their faces clean and send them off to school, though it is tempting. Also, I don't have a little bell to ring when I need something, AND day time t.v for grown ups is pa-the-tic!   Even the commercials are ridiculous.

T.V. today is all about the next new thing, the snazziest (yes, I said Snazzy) way to get you to want to do something, buy something, be something.  I think I am tired of  all of the hype that's on t.v.  Who cares about the newest latest gadget/phrase/style/fad etc. etc?  Those things are all secular.  Why does so much money and advertising go toward things that have little to no value?  What about things that really matter?  Society's morals are deteriorating rapidly, and we are watching it like it's a soap opera and then ordering every infomercial during the commercial break.

So, what's my point?  The point is, we are raising the next generation.  What do we want them to be?  Do we want them to be focused on having great things, or do we want to to be great people?

As a parent I feel I have a duty to fill my children with knowledge, self worth, love, gratitude, and all the other skills necessary to have a happy and fulfilling life.  In doing so I also feel like I'm in a tug of war with the outside influences that are trying to grab a hold of my children.  And it's not just t.v.  Influences now-a-days come in so many different forms.  Does anyone else out there feel the same way?

The scriptures I have been reading lately include a close description of what I feel I need to be doing for my family.  It's really interesting.  I am reading Alma 48:7-9.  It is a story about how a wicked man named Amalickiah was trying to destroy the Nephites who were followers of God.  It reads:

 "Now it came to pass that while Amalickiah had thus been obtaining power by fraud and deceit, Moroni, on the other hand, had been ^apreparing the minds of the people to be faithful unto the Lord their God.

 8 Yea, he had been strengthening the armies of the Nephites, and erecting small ^aforts, or places of resort; throwing up banks of earth round about to enclose his armies, and also building ^bwalls of stone to encircle them about, round about their cities and the borders of their lands; yea, all round about the land.

 9 And in their weakest fortifications he did place the greater number of men; and thus he did fortify and strengthen the land which was possessed by the Nephites."

It goes on in greater detail, but I want to share this comparison with you.  I feel as though I am Moroni, trying to prepare and teach my children, the Nephites, from those who would do them harm. I feel like the temptations and evils are multiplying around us, trying every sneaky, deceitful thing they can think of to get a hold of us.  And as a mother I need to protect my home with "banks of  earth, and walls of stone" to fortify and strengthen my family.  Some days the task seems heavy, but I feel it is of extreme importance.  I hope and pray that my children will come to know what is right and what is wrong, what is important and what is trivial, and that they will be strong enough to withstand all of the evils and temptations that are placed before them.      

Being a parent is difficult.  Our children may not like us all the time, they may say and do things that are hurtful.  But they are children.  That is what children do.  We are parents.  We have a responsibility to do the difficult things.


The scriptures I shared today are not found in the Bible.  They are in the Book of Mormon, which I believe to be scripture revealed from modern day prophets.  If you are interested in finding out more about the Book of Mormon click on the link below.  There you can receive a free no obligation copy of the Book of Mormon, and also find out more about it.

Free copy of the Book of Mormon

Pics & Quotes

Here are some of the uplifting images I've posted on the Focused on the Positive Facebook page. If you haven't checked it out or liked it yet take a second to do so!

There you go.  A small sampling of Focused's Facebook page.  Head over there and like it if you haven't yet!  Click here Facebook Page

Bearing our afflictions with faith

Well hi there!  It's been a long time since I've written anything.  Did you miss me?  Ah, shucks, thanks.  I came down with a case of "life-is-hard-can't-do-anything-without-crying-itis".  Wasn't fun.  Not sure I'm over it, but you don't need to know the details.

Anyhoo.  What's been going on with you guys?  Any exciting news?  Please feel free to share your joys with us in the comment section.  I'd love to hear about the great things going on in your lives!

My thoughts lately have been turned to accepting trials.  Trials are a part of life.  I know this.  That statement makes sense to me.  Why then, when a trial is placed before us do we crawl into the fetal position and wonder "Why?"  Interesting question... Why do we ask "Why" during trials?   Perhaps out of fear that we cannot handle it, that it is too hard, that we will break instead of grow.  I'd love to hear your thoughts.

I have come to know that we can handle each trial that we face.  The scriptures tell us:

"And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which The Lord hath commanded, for I know that The Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commanded them." 1 Nephi 3:7

He does not give us challenges that we cannot conquer.  He has placed each trial in our lives for our benefit.  Yeah, it's contradictory, but it's true. If you look back on the things that were difficult, I think you will find that after it was over it had some reason, some benefit, for you or someone else.  And I do believe that there are some trials we will not understand until after this life.

That being said, if you want to truly understand why we go through trials, I think you have to ask yourself why we are here.  What is the purpose of this life?  

In my opinion we are here to be tested and tried, to learn and grow through our trials, so that one day we will be proven worthy to live again with our Heavenly Father.  If you want to be truly optimistic, then you could rejoice when a trial is given.  Knowing that you will become better for it.  If that thought is a little hard to grasp, here's another scripture to help:

"But that ye have patience, and bear with those afflictions, with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your afflictions."  Alma 34:41

That scripture has bought me peace recently.  I just have to keep making good choices, and continue on in faith, and one day I will receive rest from my afflictions.  I am grateful that God believes I am as strong as the challenges he gives me. I believe in God, and I believe he knows me.  He knows: what is best for me, what my potential is, what I can handle, and he knows the greater purpose.   We have many reasons to rejoice.  God loves us.  God is with us in our trials.  Each of our trials have a purpose.  And one day we will be able to live again with our Savior and Heavenly Father.

May you be blessed with strength in your struggles.  Please share your thoughts and perspectives.